Bringing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to Life: Chair Share with UC Davis Arboretum and Public Gardens
At UC Davis, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aren't just a framework taught in classes; they are physically evident all across campus. From gardens to classrooms to student internships to partnerships that stretch from Sacramento to the United Nations itself in New York City. The SDGs are woven into many aspects of campus life as Global Affairs works alongside campus units and student and faculty leaders. Through teaching, research, service, and campus operations, UC Davis is advancing the SDGs through local action.
Chair Share: Nature, Dialogue, and Community
On May 22, the Arboretum Ambassadors hosted a Chair Share event at Lake Spafford in partnership with Global Affairs’ SDG interns, introducing students and the UC Davis community to the SDGs in one of campus's most restorative settings. The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden advances several SDGs itself, particularly Goal 13: Climate Action and Goal 15: Life on Land.
The event was centered around an impactful mission: Nature RX. Students at the event shared that carving out time to be outdoors can be rare amid busy schedules and competing demands — but doing so offers noticeable social, physical, and psychological benefits. Attendees spoke about how spending time in the Arboretum, paying attention to nature, and taking in the surroundings help them feel grounded and present.
While completing one of the shared activities at the event, students were asked what matters most to them in their community. They identified people in their community, accessible green spaces, basic-needs resources, supportive relationships, cultural representation, and communication that truly represents them. These themes resonate with the heart of the SDGs: community, representation, and equity.
The Arboretum Ambassadors program is based on a "learning by leading" model. Staff and faculty serve as guides, while students do the work of planning, doing outreach, and connecting peers to internship and leadership opportunities. The structure is designed to help students feel capable and empowered, and to give them personal ownership of the goals they set each quarter. The Chair Share program was restarted on a biweekly basis after a hiatus during COVID, and the events are hosted in collaboration with other student organizations.
As an Arboretum Ambassador shared, students often assume they need an already-established network to find leadership opportunities at UC Davis. The ambassador emphasized that through this program every student can discover and pursue leadership opportunities, regardless of their existing networks.
The Global Affairs SDG Internship: Building Institutional Commitment
Conversations with students at the event highlighted the Global Affairs SDG Internship. The internship gives UC Davis students a hands-on way to contribute to the SDGs by enabling them to participate in collaborations both on and off campus and sustain long-term partnerships with organizations such as the City of Sacramento's Youth Commission and the United Nations. Interns work to expand student awareness of the SDGs by further integrating the goals into academics and extracurricular life.
Jolynn Shoemaker, senior director of Global Engagements at Global Affairs, shared that SDG efforts focus on four areas: teaching, research, service, and campus operations and interns work on a variety of initiatives. Interns support engagement with UN networks on the SDGs, work with community organizations to connect local and global goals, and plan events and outreach to involve the campus. It is structured quarterly and offers flexible opportunities that vary depending on campus, community, and international needs. Interns and staff build the program as they experience it, reflecting the collaborative spirit of the SDGs.
Looking Ahead
A hot afternoon with open-minded dialogue at Lake Spafford brought students and faculty together to discuss how SDG-focused UC Davis units and teams can expand student equity on campus, improve access to resources, and support students' mental health. Global Affairs’ approach to the SDGs is rooted in the idea that local connection and engagement can advance global goals. As international engagement continues to expand, strengthening local partnerships remains a priority.